Destination C1-C2 – Essential Exam Notes
UNIT 2 – THINKING & LEARNING
Topic Vocabulary : Thinking
Core verbs:
assess: To evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of (e.g., "We need to assess the damage after the storm.")
assume: To take for granted or to be true without proof (e.g., "I assume you'll be there tonight.")
baffle: To totally bewilder or perplex (e.g., "The complex puzzle baffled him for hours.")
concentrate: To focus one's attention or mental effort on a particular object or activity (e.g., "Please concentrate on your studies.")
consider: To think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision (e.g., "Consider all your options before deciding.")
contemplate: To look thoughtfully for a long time at; to think profoundly and at length about (e.g., "She spent hours contemplating her future.")
deduce: To arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a logical conclusion (e.g., "From the evidence, we can deduce he was guilty.")
deliberate: To engage in long and careful consideration (e.g., "The jury deliberated for hours.")
discriminate: To recognize a distinction; differentiate (e.g., "It's important to discriminate between fact and opinion.")
estimate: To roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of (e.g., "Can you estimate the cost of the project?")
gather: To collect or bring together; to infer or understand (e.g., "From your expression, I gather you're not happy.")
grasp: To thoroughly understand (e.g., "It took me a while to grasp the concept.")
ponder: To think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion (e.g., "She pondered the question for a moment.")
presume: To suppose that something is true without proof (e.g., "I presume you've already eaten.")
query: To ask a question about something, especially in order to express one's doubts about it or to check its validity or accuracy (e.g., "He queried the charges on his bill.")
reckon: To consider or regard in a specified way; to think or suppose (e.g., "I reckon it will rain tomorrow.")
reflect: To think deeply or carefully about (e.g., "He reflected on his past mistakes.")
speculate: To form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence (e.g., "Scientists speculate about the origins of the universe.")
suppose: To assume that something is true or probable but without proof or certain knowledge (e.g., "I suppose I could help you.")
Key adjectives / nouns:
biased: Unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something (e.g., "The news report was clearly biased.")
cynical: Believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity (e.g., "He's cynical about politicians' promises.")
dubious: Hesitating or doubting; not to be relied upon; suspect (e.g., "The claim seemed dubious.")
genius: Exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability (e.g., "She showed flashes of genius.")
ideology: A system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy (e.g., "Their political ideology is very different from ours.")
ingenious: (Of a person) clever, original, and inventive (e.g., "He came up with an ingenious solution.")
inspiration: The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative (e.g., "Her music is an inspiration to many.")
intuition: The ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning (e.g., "She had an intuition that something was wrong.")
naive: (Of a person or action) showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment (e.g., "It was naive of him to trust everyone.")
optimistic: Hopeful and confident about the future (e.g., "She's optimistic about her chances.") ⇄ pessimistic: Tending to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen (e.g., "He's pessimistic about the economy.")
paradox: A seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true (e.g., "It's a paradox that sitting can be exhausting.")
plausible: (Of an argument or statement) seeming reasonable or probable (e.g., "His explanation sounded plausible.")
prejudiced: Having or showing a dislike or distrust that is not based on reason or actual experience (e.g., "The judge warned the jury not to be prejudiced.")
skeptical: Not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations (e.g., "I'm skeptical about the claims he made.")
Topic Vocabulary : Learning
People & roles:
academic (n): A teacher or scholar in a college or institute of higher education (e.g., "She is a leading academic in her field.")
graduate: A person who has successfully completed a course of study or training, especially a person who has been awarded a first degree at a university (e.g., "He is a recent university graduate.")
intellectual: A person possessing a highly developed intellect (e.g., "She's considered an intellectual in artistic circles.")
lecturer: A person who gives lectures, especially as a job at a university or college (e.g., "Our history lecturer is very engaging.")
programmer: A person who writes computer programs (e.g., "The software was developed by a team of programmers.")
Study actions:
cram: To study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination (e.g., "He had to cram for his history exam.")
distance-learning: A method of studying in which lectures are broadcast or lessons are conducted by correspondence or over the internet, without the student needing to attend a school or college (e.g., "Many universities offer distance-learning courses.")
self-study: Learning done by oneself, without a teacher's guidance (e.g., "Learning a musical instrument often requires a lot of self-study.")
plagiarise: To take (the work or an idea of another) and pass it off as one's own (e.g., "Students are warned not to plagiarise their essays.")
revise (swot up): To read through something again in order to learn it or memorize it (e.g., "I need to revise my notes before the test." or "He's swotting up on his French vocabulary.")
tutorial: A period of instruction given by a university or college tutor to a small group of students (e.g., "We have a weekly tutorial with our philosophy professor.")
seminar: A conference or other meeting for discussion or training (e.g., "The research seminar covered new findings in physics.")
mock-exam: An examination taken as practice before an official examination (e.g., "Passing the mock-exam boosted her confidence for the real one.")
Descriptors:
conscientious: Wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly (e.g., "She is a conscientious student who always completes her assignments on time.")
ignorant: Lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated (e.g., "He was ignorant of the local customs.") / inattentive: Not paying attention (e.g., "The inattentive student missed the instructions.")
intensive: Concentrated on a single area or subject or into a short time (e.g., "They offer intensive language courses.")
knowledgeable: Intelligent and well informed (e.g., "She is very knowledgeable about ancient history.")
special-needs: Requiring special educational provision because of learning difficulties, physical disabilities, or behavioral problems (e.g., "The school has a dedicated department for special-needs students.")
Phrasal Verbs (study/think)
brush up (on): To improve one's knowledge of something previously learned but partly forgotten (e.g., "I need to brush up on my Spanish before my trip.")
come (a)round (to): To change one's opinion or decision because someone has persuaded them (e.g., "He eventually came around to our point of view.")
come up with: To produce (an idea, plan, or solution) (e.g., "She came up with a brilliant idea for the project.")
face up to: To confront and deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation (e.g., "You need to face up to your responsibilities.")
figure out: To understand or solve something (e.g., "I can't figure out how this machine works.")
hit upon: To suddenly have an idea or discover something by chance (e.g., "They hit upon a novel solution to the problem.")
make out: To discern, distinguish, or understand (e.g., "I couldn't quite make out what he was saying.")
mull over: To think carefully about something for a period of time (e.g., "She's mulling over the job offer.")
piece together: To construct a complete story or idea by combining different items of information (e.g., "The detective tried to piece together the evidence.")
puzzle out: To solve a confusing problem by careful thought (e.g., "It took me a while to puzzle out the meaning of the ancient text.")
read up (on): To read a lot about a subject, usually because you are going to do something connected with it (e.g., "I need to read up on local history for my presentation.")
swot up (on): To study something very hard, especially for an exam (e.g., "He's swotting up on his chemistry.")
take in: To understand and remember something that you hear or read (e.g., "It was so much information, I couldn't take it all in.")
think over / through / up:
think over: To consider something carefully (e.g., "I'll think over your proposal and get back to you.")
think through: To consider the possible consequences or implications of a plan or action (e.g., "We need to think this plan through thoroughly.")
think up: To invent or imagine something (e.g., "He always manages to think up new excuses.")
Key Collocations & Fixed Phrases
Account for: To explain; to give a reason for (e.g., "How do you account for this discrepancy?")
give an account of: To describe what happened (e.g., "She gave a detailed account of her travels.")
take into account: To consider facts, subjects, etc., when making a decision or judgment (e.g., "You must take into account his lack of experience.")
Strike/alter/redress the balance: To make things equal or fair (e.g., "We need to strike a balance between work and life.")
on balance: After considering all the facts (e.g., "On balance, I think it was a good decision.")
Contrary to popular belief: Different from what most people believe (e.g., "Contrary to popular belief, cats are not always aloof.")
beyond belief: Too extraordinary to be believed (e.g., "The story was almost beyond belief.")
Pick sb’s brain: To ask someone who knows a lot about a subject for information or their opinion (e.g., "Can I pick your brain about this new software?")
rack your brains: To think very hard to try to remember something or to find a solution (e.g., "I racked my brains all day trying to remember her name.")
Come to a conclusion: To decide something after considering all the facts (e.g., "After much discussion, we came to a conclusion.")
jump to conclusions: To make a judgment or decision without having all the facts (e.g., "Don't jump to conclusions; wait for more information.")
In/under consideration: Being thought about or discussed (e.g., "The proposal is currently under consideration.")
take into consideration: To think about something when making a decision (e.g., "You must take his age into consideration.")
Cast/raise doubt: To make people feel less certain about something (e.g., "The new evidence cast doubt on his guilt.")
beyond (any) doubt: Certainly true (e.g., "He was proven innocent beyond any doubt.")
reasonable doubt: A standard of proof used in criminal trials; a doubt as to guilt of an accused (e.g., "The jury must find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.")
Dream (of/about): To imagine or wish for something (e.g., "She dreams of becoming a doctor.")
a dream come true: Something that you have wanted very much for a long time that has now happened (e.g., "Winning the lottery was a dream come true.")
beyond your wildest dreams: Far better than anything you could have imagined or hoped for (e.g., "The success of the company was beyond their wildest dreams.")
Focus on: To concentrate on something (e.g., "She needs to focus on her studies.")
in/out of focus: Clear or unclear vision (e.g., "The photo is a bit out of focus.")
focus group: A diverse group of people assembled to participate in a guided discussion about a particular product or service (e.g., "The company used a focus group to test their new ad campaign.")
Make a mental note: To make an effort to remember something (e.g., "I'll make a mental note to remind him later.")
mental health/illness: The state of one's psychological and emotional well-being (e.g., "Awareness of mental health issues is growing.")
Make up your mind: To decide (e.g., "Have you made up your mind about where to go?")
slip your mind: To forget to do something or to forget something that you should remember (e.g., "I meant to call him, but it slipped my mind.")
cross your mind: To enter your thoughts (e.g., "It never crossed my mind that he would leave.")
in two minds: Unable to decide between two courses of action (e.g., "I'm in two minds about whether to accept the job offer.")
From sb’s perspective: From someone's point of view (e.g., "From my perspective, the plan makes sense.")
keep sth in perspective: To judge the importance of something correctly and not be either too worried or too pleased about it (e.g., "It's just a small problem; try to keep it in perspective.")
Stand by/stick to your principles: To maintain one's beliefs or rules of conduct (e.g., "She stood by her principles despite the pressure.")
a matter of principle: Something that involves one's strong personal beliefs (e.g., "For him, it was a matter of principle not to compromise.")
Raise the question (of): To bring a particular issue or problem into discussion (e.g., "His actions raise the question of trust.")
out of/beyond question: Beyond any doubt; impossible (e.g., "Her honesty is beyond question.")
Idioms – Thinking
go to your head: If success or praise goes to your head, it makes you feel more important than you are (e.g., "Don't let one success go to your head.")
have your wits about you: To be able to think quickly and make sensible decisions (e.g., "You need to have your wits about you when driving in heavy traffic.")
in the dark: Not knowing about something important (e.g., "The employees were kept in the dark about the merger.")
know what’s what: To know the important facts about a situation (e.g., "He's been in the business for years, so he knows what's what.")
not have a leg to stand on: To have no evidence or good reasons to support your argument or claim (e.g., "After the new evidence, the prosecution didn't have a leg to stand on.")
not see the wood for the trees: To be unable to see the whole situation clearly because you are looking too closely at small details (e.g., "She's so focused on tiny errors that she can't see the wood for the trees.")
put two and two together: To correctly guess the truth about something from the information you have (e.g., "When I saw them together, I put two and two together and realized they were dating.")
quick/slow on the uptake: Quick or slow to understand something (e.g., "He's very quick on the uptake; he understood immediately.")
ring a bell: To sound familiar to you, although you cannot remember the exact details (e.g., "His name rings a bell, but I can't place him.")
round the bend: Crazy or insane (e.g., "Working like this all day is driving me round the bend.")
split hairs: To argue about very small, unimportant differences or details (e.g., "Don't split hairs; just tell me what you mean.")
take stock (of): To review a situation and decide what to do next (e.g., "After the crisis, we need to take stock of our resources.")
Word-Formation Hot-spots
assume → assumption (a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof), unassuming (not presumptuous, modest) (e.g., "My assumption was incorrect." "He was an unassuming man despite his achievements.")
believe → disbelief (inability or refusal to accept that something is true or real), believable (able to be believed; credible), unbelievable (not able to be believed; incredible) (e.g., "Her story was met with disbelief." "It's a believable excuse." "The ending was unbelievable.")
conceive → conception (the forming or devising of a plan or idea), (in)conceivable (capable of being imagined or grasped mentally / not capable of being imagined) (e.g., "The conception of the project took months." "It's almost inconceivable that he would lie." "The idea is perfectly conceivable.")
decide → decision (a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration), decisive/indecisive (settling an issue; producing a definite result / not able to make decisions quickly and effectively)
(e.g., "We need to make a decision." "She is a decisive leader." "He's too indecisive to choose a meal.")define → definition (a statement of the exact meaning of a word, phrase, or term), definitive (done or reached decisively and with authority), indefinite (lasting for an unknown or unstated length of time) (e.g., "Look up the definition of the word." "This is the definitive answer." "The meeting was postponed for an indefinite period.")
doubt → doubtful (feeling uncertain about something), undoubtedly (without doubt; certainly) (e.g., "I'm doubtful about the success of the plan." "She is undoubtedly the best candidate.")
reason → reasoning (the action of thinking about something in a logical, sensible way), reasonable/unreasonable (fair and sensible / not fair or sensible) (e.g., "Her reasoning was sound." "It's a reasonable request." "His demands are unreasonable.")
think → thought(ful/less) (an idea or opinion produced by thinking; consideration for others / not showing consideration; careless), thinker (a person who thinks deeply or is famous for their ideas) (e.g., "That's a good thought." "He's a thoughtful person." "That was a thoughtless comment." "She's a deep thinker.")
wise → wisdom (the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise), wisely/unwisely (in a wise manner / in an unwise manner) (e.g., "She shared her wisdom." "He acted wisely." "You acted unwisely by trusting him.")
UNIT 4 – CHANGE & TECHNOLOGY
Topic Vocabulary : Change
Core verbs:
adapt: To make (something) suitable for a new use or purpose; to adjust to new conditions (e.g., "The company had to adapt to new market conditions.")
adjust: To alter or move something slightly in order to achieve the desired fit, appearance, or result (e.g., "You can adjust the height of the chair.")
alternate: (Of two things) occur in turn repeatedly (e.g., "We alternate between working in the office and from home.")
amend: To make minor changes to (a text, piece of legislation, etc.) in order to make it fairer or more accurate, or to reflect changing circumstances (e.g., "They amended the contract.")
convert: To change the form, character, or function of something (e.g., "They converted the old barn into a house.")
decay: To rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi (e.g., "The fallen leaves will decay over time.")
deteriorate: To become progressively worse (e.g., "His health began to deteriorate rapidly.")
distort: To pull or twist out of shape; to give a misleading account of (e.g., "He distorted the facts to suit his argument.")
endure: To suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently; to remain in existence; last (e.g., "The company endured many hardships.")
evolve: To develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form (e.g., "Humans evolved from earlier primates.")
maintain: To cause or enable (a condition or state of affairs) to continue (e.g., "We must maintain high standards.")
mature: To become fully developed mentally or physically; to reach an advanced stage of development (e.g., "The project matured over several months.")
modify: To make partial or minor changes to (something), typically to improve it or to make it less extreme (e.g., "We modified the design based on feedback.")
persist: To continue firmly or obstinately in an opinion or a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition (e.g., "If you persist, you will succeed.")
refine: To remove impurities or unwanted elements from (a substance); to improve (something) by making small changes, especially to make it more subtle, accurate, or sophisticated (e.g., "She refined her technique over years.")
reform: To make changes in (something, typically an institution or practice) in order to improve it (e.g., "The government plans to reform the education system.")
remain: To continue to be in the same state or condition (e.g., "He remained calm during the crisis.")
revise: To reconsider and alter (something) in the light of further evidence (e.g., "The author revised the text multiple times.")
shift: To move or cause to move from one place or position to another, especially over a small distance (e.g., "The wind shifted direction.")
spoil: To diminish or destroy the value or quality of (e.g., "The rain spoiled our picnic.")
sustain: To strengthen or support physically or mentally; to undergo or suffer (an injury, a charge, or a loss) (e.g., "Fingers of land that sustain the force of the sea.")
transform: To undergo a dramatic change in form, appearance, or character (e.g., "The internet has transformed how we communicate.")
Key adjectives/nouns:
alternative: (N) One of two or more available possibilities (e.g., "We need to find an alternative solution.")
conservative: (Adj) Holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation (e.g., "He has very conservative views on education.")
dynamic: (Adj) Characterized by constant change, activity, or progress (e.g., "The business environment is very dynamic.")
innovation/innovative: (N) The action or process of innovating; (Adj) (of a product, idea, etc.) featuring new methods; advanced and original (e.g., "The company is known for its innovation." / "They have innovative marketing strategies.")
potential: (N) Latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness (e.g., "The young athlete has great potential.")
radical: (Adj) (especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough (e.g., "The company implemented radical changes.")
steady: (Adj) Not shaking or moving; regular, even, and continuous in development, quantity, or degree (e.g., "Maintain a steady pace.")
status quo: (N) The existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues (e.g., "Many people are resistant to changes to the status quo.")
substitute: (N) A person or thing acting or serving in place of another (e.g., "Margarine is a good substitute for butter.")
trend: (N) A general direction in which something is developing or changing (e.g., "The latest trend in fashion.")
uniform: (Adj) Remaining the same in all cases and at all times; unvarying in form or character (e.g., "The quality of the product is uniform.")
Topic Vocabulary : Technology
Breakthrough: A sudden, important discovery or achievement (e.g., "Scientists made a major breakthrough in cancer research.")
broadband: A high-capacity transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies, which enables a large number of messages to be communicated simultaneously (e.g., "We need faster broadband for our office.")
click: (V) To press a button on a mouse or other device (e.g., "Click on the icon to open the program.")
complex: (Adj) Consisting of many different and connected parts; not easy to understand (e.g., "The system is very complex.")
consumer-electronics: Electronic equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes (e.g., "The market for consumer-electronics is booming.")
craft: (N) An activity involving skill in making things by hand (e.g., "He learned the craft of woodworking.")
data: (N) Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis (e.g., "The company collects customer data.")
download / upload: (V) To copy data from one computer system to another, usually over the internet / To transfer data from one computer system to another, usually to a larger system (e.g., "I downloaded the file from the internet." / "You can upload your photos to the cloud.")
file: (N) A collection of data or programs stored in a computer system (e.g., "Save the document as a new file.")
(games) console: (N) An electronic device that outputs a video signal or visual image to display a video game (e.g., "He spends hours playing on his games console.")
manual: (Adj) Relating to or done with the hands (e.g., "The car has a manual transmission.")
network: (N) A group or system of interconnected people or things (e.g., "The company uses a secure computer network.")
nuclear: (Adj) Relating to the nucleus of an atom (e.g., "Nuclear power is a source of energy.")
offline / online: (Adj/Adv) Not connected to a computer network / Connected to a computer network, especially the internet (e.g., "I'll work on the document offline." / "You can complete the form online.")
primitive: (Adj) Relating to an early stage in the evolutionary or historical development of something; not developed or derived from anything else (e.g., "Early humans used primitive tools.")
programmer: See above in Unit 2. (e.g., "She's a skilled programmer.")
resource: (N) A stock or supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively (e.g., "Water is a valuable natural resource.")
technique: (N) A skillful or efficient way of doing or achieving something (e.g., "He demonstrated a new painting technique.")
Phrasal Verbs (change/tech)
back up: To make a copy of (a computer file or data) as a security measure (e.g., "Always back up your important files.")
change around / into / out of:
change around: To rearrange (e.g., "Let's change the furniture around.")
change into: To transform or become something else (e.g., "The caterpillar changed into a butterfly.")
change out of: To take off one set of clothes and put on another (e.g., "I changed out of my work clothes.")
do away with: To abolish or discard (e.g., "The company decided to do away with formal dress codes.")
do up: To renovate or repair (e.g., "They spent a lot of money doing up their new house.")
fade away: To gradually disappear (e.g., "The memory of the argument slowly faded away.")
key in: To enter (information) into a computer or other device using a keyboard or keypad (e.g., "Please key in your password.")
make into: To transform (e.g., "They made the garage into a studio apartment.")
mix up: To confuse two or more things; to put things in the wrong order (e.g., "I often mix up their names.")
switch on / off: To connect to or disconnect from an electrical power source (e.g., "Switch on the light." / "Please switch off the computer.")
take apart: To separate something into its component parts (e.g., "He took the old radio apart to see how it worked.")
test out: To try something to see if it works or to find out how effective it is (e.g., "We need to test out the new software.")
turn into: To transform or become (e.g., "The small stream turns into a river further downstream.")
use up: To consume completely (e.g., "We've used up all the milk.")
wear out: To become unusable through wear and tear (e.g., "My old shoes are worn out.")
High-value Collocations
have/gain/provide access to: The opportunity or right to use or approach (e.g., "Students have access to the library.")
internet / wheelchair access: Availability and ability to use internet / accessibility for wheelchairs (e.g., "The cafe offers free internet access." / "The building has wheelchair access.")
break a habit: To stop an established routine or an addiction (e.g., "It's hard to break old habits.")
break with tradition: To do something different from what has been done for a long time (e.g., "The family decided to break with tradition and travel for Christmas.")
take a break: To stop working or doing something for a short time and rest (e.g., "Let's take a break for coffee.")
coffee break: A short period of time during the work day when employees can stop working to have a coffee (e.g., "I'll tell you about it during our coffee break.")
change from A to B: To convert or transition from one state or position to another (e.g., "The climate is changing from mild to extreme.")
change for the better/worse: An improvement or deterioration in a situation (e.g., "Her health changed for the better." / "The economic situation changed for the worse.")
change into: To put on different clothes (e.g., "I need to change into something more comfortable.")
Rapid-Review Tips
Focus first on verbs & adjectives that signal mental processes (Unit 2) and change processes (Unit 4).
Master phrasal-verb particles (up / out / in / over / through) – they often signal exam collocation traps.
Idioms frequently appear in cloze & multiple-choice questions – memorise literal vs figurative meaning.
Word-formation: note common prefixes (un-, in-, dis-) and suffix patterns (-tion, ive, ment, able).